Ernakulam Declared First Fully Digital Literate District in Kerala

Context: Ernakulam, a district in Kerala, was declared the first fully digital literate district in Kerala.

• The initiative is part of the Digi Keralam project.

About Digital Literacy

• Digital literacy is the ability to effectively and critically navigate, evaluate, and create information using digital technologies, such as computers, smartphones, and the internet.

About Digi Keralam Project

• Digi Keralam is the drive to attain complete digital literacy in the state on the lines of the achievement for total literacy achieved in campaign mode in 1991.
  • It is being spearheaded by the Local Self Government Department.
• Program Structure: The digital literacy program operates through three main phases: Information Gathering, Training and Formal Recognition of Literacy Achievement.
• Objective: The primary objective is to ensure digital literacy for individuals aged 14 to 65 years.

Dharmadam: First Extreme Poverty-Free Constituency

Context: The Dharmadam Assembly constituency in Kannur, Kerala was declared the first extreme poverty-free constituency of Kerala.

• The  Chief Minister of Kerala has assured the entire state to be declared as an extreme poverty-free state by 1 November, 2025.

What is Extreme Poverty?

• According to the World Bank, the people in extreme poverty are those who live on less than $2.15 per day.
  • This line is based on 2017 purchasing power parity (PPP).
• Indicators of Extreme Poverty: Four factors were taken as indicators of extreme poverty ie. food availability, health, income, and housing considered as basic requirements for survival of a family
  • Kerala Institute of Local Administration prepared the yardstick for identification.

About the Achievement

• The Dharmadam Assembly constituency achieved extreme poverty-free status through:
  • Right to Swift Assistance initiative: This initiative support included issuance of key documents like the Aadhar, ration cards, voter IDs, job cards  and access to welfare schemes.
  • LIFE scheme: Housing needs were fulfilled under the LIFE scheme
  • Healthcare services, food aid, and income-generation schemes were extended through Kudumbashree and panchayat plans.

Mission to Free Kerala from Extreme Poverty

• Beginning: The State-wide campaign to identify and assist the extremely poor began in August 2021.
• Poverty Rates: Kerala had the lowest poverty of 0.71% across India as per the NITI-Aayog’s first multidimensional poverty index (MPI) released in 2021.
• Led by: The mission was led by the Local Self-Government department.
• Target Group: The project identified 64,002 individuals living in extreme poverty across the State tailoring micro-level plan interventions addressing basic needs

The Mk-II(A) Laser-Directed Energy Weapon System

Context: DRDO successfully tested the Mk-II(A) Laser-Directed Energy Weapon system at the National Open Air Range, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

With this, India joins a select group of countries such as the United States, China, and Russia that have developed high-power laser weapons.

What is the Mk-II(A) Laser-DEW System?

• The Mk-II(A) Laser-Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) is an advanced defense system. 
• Indigenously designed and developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences 
• Purpose: It disables missiles, drones, and smaller projectiles with precision and speed.
• Technology: The system uses a high-energy laser beam to engage targets at the speed of light, causing structural damage or destroying warheads.
• Capabilities:
  • Engages fixed-wing drones at long ranges.
  • Counters multiple drone attacks simultaneously.
  • Destroys enemy surveillance sensors and antennae.
• Advantages of Laser-DEW
  • Cost-effective: Firing the laser for a few seconds costs about the same as a few litres of petrol.
  • Provides a low-cost and long-term solution to counter low-cost drone threats.
  • Reduces dependence on expensive ammunition.
  • Can target small projectiles, missiles, and drones without physical impact, reducing collateral damage.

BatEchoMon

Context:  BatEchoMon has been developed by  Kadambari Deshpande, a bat biologist,  at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), Bengaluru.

What is BatEchoMon?

• BatEchoMon stands for Bat Echolocation Monitoring.
• It’s an automated system for detecting and analyzing bat calls in real-time.
• It is India’s first such system.

Significance and Impact

• Saves time and effort — tasks that took months can now be done in hours.
• Helps researchers ask deeper questions about bat ecology.
• Encourages bat monitoring in various parts of India, especially urban and forested areas.
  Considered a global milestone in bat research, due to its built-in detection and classification system.

India’s First GaN-based Semicon Plant

Context: India’s first Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor plant was established by Polymatech Electronics in Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

About The Semiconductor Plant

• Production Capacity: The plant has a production target to produce  10 billion chips annually by 2030.
  • It will produce advanced 5-nanometer and 3-nanometer chips.
• Significance: 
  • Self Reliance: It will make India self-reliant in producing critical semiconductor modules for telecom infrastructure, IoT, and satellite communications
  • The chips will also enable next-gen 5G and 6G networks, high-performance laptops, defence technologies, data analytics, and power electronics.

About Gallium Nitride (GaN)

• Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide bandgap semiconductor material

Key Properties

• Wide Bandgap: GaN can  withstand higher voltages and temperatures, making it more efficient in power conversion.
• High Breakdown Voltage: GaN transistors can handle significantly higher voltages than silicon-based transistors, enabling them to operate in high end applications.
• High Thermal Conductivity: GaN has a high thermal conductivity which dissipates heat generated during operation, which is crucial for high-power devices. 
• Fast Switching Speeds: GaN transistors exhibit faster switching speeds compared to silicon, allowing for more efficient power conversion in high-frequency applications.

Global Carbon Pricing Agreement for Shipping Industry

Context: The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a UN agency, finalized the world’s first global carbon pricing agreement for the shipping industry

About the IMO Framework

• The framework was adopted through a rare vote, breaking IMO’s usual tradition of consensus.
• India voted in its favor.

Key Features of the New IMO Framework

• Goal: Achieve net-zero emissions from international shipping by 2050, aligning with the 2023 Revised IMO Strategy.
• Carbon Pricing: Ships emitting beyond set thresholds will pay fees.
  • Fees go into an IMO Net-Zero Fund to finance clean shipping initiatives and assist vulnerable nations.
    • $380/tonne for highest-intensity emissions.
    • $100/tonne for excess emissions above a lower threshold.
• Implementation Timeline:
  • Formal approval expected in October 2025.
  • Enters into force March 2027.
  • Compliance starts 2028 for ships over 5,000 gross tonnage.
• Revenue Generation: Expected to raise $10 billion annually by 2030.
• Criticism: Experts and Pacific Island nations argue the agreement falls short of a 1.5°C pathway, likely achieving only 8% emissions cut by 2030 versus the 20-30% needed.
  • The U.S. pulled out of negotiations and reportedly threatened retaliation against any country taxing U.S. ships.

Mauritius CPF with ISA

Context: Mauritius has become the first African country to sign a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

About the Country Partnership Framework (CPF)

• The CPF is a strategic initiative developed by ISA to facilitate long- and medium-term cooperation with its member countries.
• It aims to accelerate clean energy transitions by implementing joint solar energy projects tailored to each country’s needs.
• Mauritius is also the fourth country globally, after Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Cuba, to sign the CPF.

Significance of the CPF for Mauritius

• The CPF offers a structured platform for collaboration between ISA and Mauritius, aligning with the country’s national clean energy priorities.
• The partnership will result in a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) specifically designed for Mauritius.
• The CPS will focus on scaling up key solar technologies, including:
  • Floating solar systems
  • Rooftop solar installations
  • Solar-powered water pumping systems
• The agreement is expected to boost investment opportunities and enhance energy security through sustainable solar solutions.

About the International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• The ISA is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization launched by India and France in 2015.
• It promotes solar energy adoption globally as a tool for energy access and climate change mitigation.
• ISA aims to mobilize USD 1 trillion in solar investments by 2030.

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